I started my Castel de Papa today and I'm an inch from the top WITHOUT grapes! Aren't those rubbermade trash cans food grade? I was wondering if you can use those as a primary fermenter.
The "Brute" ones are. If you could find a 10G sized Brute at a big box store (with lid) you should be good to go.
That is what I use. I have 4 of the gray Brute 10-gallon trash cans. You can get them at restaurant supply stores. Usually the big box stores won't carry that size, but they do often have the 20 gallon and 32 gallon sizes, which is convenient if you are making larger amounts of wine. I have an Ace Mart near me, so that's where I got mine.
They have an NSF seal on the bottom, and they say "NSF STD. 2 FOOD CONTACT: WHITE, GRAY, YELLOW. - NSF STD. 21 REFUSE: NO COLOR RESTRICTIONS"
This means that the Rubbermaid Brute trash cans that are white, gray, or yellow are rated for food contact. Other colors may be used for garbage.
The lids are usually sold separately. They snap on but don't fit tight.
When using a trash can for a primary, check the PETE number in the triple arrows, it should be a 1 or a 2.
On the Rubbermaid Brute trash cans, the number in the triangle is 4 and it says LPDE below it. PETE is not a requirement for NSF approval for food contact.
If a plastic container originally had commercially prepared food packaged in it (in contact with the plastic) or if it says NSF STD 2 FOOD CONTACT or similar language, then it is fine regardless of the number in the triangle. At least, that is true if it was made in the US.
By the way, PETE is a 1 in the triangle. If it is a 2, then it is HDPE, not PETE. Here is a list of
Resin identification codes.
